Author: martin

THIS SECOND part of my interview with Stiliyan Petrov features a brilliant breakdown on the way Martin O’Neill has repeatedly made a team perform beyond the sum of its parts. At Aston Villa, Petrov felt both the warm sunlight and the shade cast by his old boss. He also talks brilliantly about his year-long campaign to win back the trust and affection of the Villa fans, and where that journey took him and the team he would eventually captain.

Then we get on to Stiliyan’s battle with leukaemia. He regrets that having worked so hard to “be somebody” as he puts it, his children now see him represented more for his illness and recovery than for his achievements on the football pitch. However, he also knows his story can offer support to others, and that he is in a position to materially affect the fight against cancer in this country.

I had never met Stiliyan before this interview and I found him an inspiration. His description of what he went through, and how it gave him a new perspective on life,  is unforgettable.

Stiliyan has a foundation through which he continues to take the fight to leukaemia. To learn more, and become involved in supporting Stiliyan through awareness and action, go to The Stiliyan Petrov Foundation

We’re delighted to announce a live recording of The Big Interview with star guest Neil Lennon on December 16 at Greenock Town Hall. The event – organised in conjunction with my good friend Martin Compston – is in aid of the Ardgowan Hospice.

The format is simple: a deep dive into Neil’s incredible life and career – Leicester, Celtic, Northern Ireland and more – followed by an audience Q&A. After the event, we’ll put out the recording for all Big Interview listeners. But if you can make it in person, we’d love to see you… and you’d be helping out a fantastic cause.

PART ONE of this interview with Stiliyan Petrov – which is one of my favourites in this entire series – covers a lot of ground, from picking up rifle shell cases from the snow, to the dangers of not being close enough to Henrik Larsson when he wins a header.

Not all of you may know that Stiliyan took an enforced break in the early years of his career as a pro to serve in the Bulgarian army for 18 months. He tells it here, and connects the lessons he learned during that time with the footballer and the man he would become.

At Celtic, he had to adapt to a new country and a new language. How he improved his English is a story matched by very few of the guests we have had on the podcast.

So grab yourself a burger, and enjoy the first part of a fascinating interview with a remarkable man.

So, after speaking to Pablo Zabaleta for the latest podcast, the Man City defender kindly signed an Argentina shirt for us. And you have the chance to win it. Here’s what you have to do….

Just scroll down and put your email address into the ‘Subscribe’ box directly underneath this post. That means you’ll be on the Big Interview mailing list (If you’re already on the mailing list you don’t need to do anything).

On Thursday, we’ll email you a Zabaleta-related question. Hit ‘reply’ to Thursday’s email with your answer, and we’ll announce a winner on Friday.

And if you don’t win, don’t worry. You’ll now be on our mailing list and will have the chance to win more goodies in the future, submit questions to our guests and get the latest podcasts sent directly to your inbox.

Good luck!

Graham